UK Teacher of the Year 2008 is…

Published: July 9, 2008 | 7176th good news item since 2003

FUN-LOVING Paul Johnson has scooped the title of the Scarborough Evening News Teacher of the Year 2008.
Mr Johnson, of Hinderwell School, was presented with the award after four of his pupils nominated him for the prestigious title.

Evening News editor Ed Asquith presented Mr Johnson with his certificate – and a cheque for £100 yesterday. His class is also set to enjoy a free trip to the Sea Life Centre which includes being picked up by a complimentary Shoreline Suncruisers open-top bus.

The 30-year-old, who lives in Hunmanby, said: “I am just so shocked. I have been nominated for this award for a few years and I never thought I would win it. It is fantastic. It is completely out of the blue.”

Mr Johnson has worked as a Year 5 teacher at the school for seven years. He also works as an advanced skills teacher which involves visiting other schools in the county once a week to offer cross-curricular teaching.

He was chosen as the winner because of his dynamic but educationally engaging approach to teaching, and based on the real way he has demonstrated that every child matters. Each term he picks a theme for his class and the curriculum is based around it. This term they are studying medieval times – and his classroom has a castle in one corner.

He also treated his class to a three-day trip to London earlier this year.

His nominators were Lucy and Emily Desborough, Rachel Laverick and Rebecca Miller. Classmate Callum Macdonald, 10, said: “He is the best teacher in the world and he deserves this. He is brilliant with us and he is just so funny. He tells lots of jokes which always make us laugh.”
Beth Lawty, nine, added: “Our classroom is the best ever. We have really enjoyed being in his class and I will miss him next year.”
See our website for the celebration video.

The Evening News would like to congratulate eight other teachers who made our Roll of Honour. They are: